Rest and relaxation are great, but to REALTORS® the sweetest R&R of all are repeat and referral business. When you’ve wowed your clients so much that now your name pops up in any related conversations, you’ve locked in that oh-so-coveted word-of-mouth marketing that leaves your competitors out in the cold
The question is: How often are you really creating that “wow” experience? It may not be as often as you think— according to NAR, only 64% of sellers and 62% of buyers were very satisfied with their recent agent experience, and just 24% used the same agent they previously worked with. To quote Matthew McConaughey’s character in Wolf of Wall Street, “You’ve got to pump those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers.”
If you want to create an exceptional customer experience, then make the process feel effortless.
You know what isn’t effortless? Clients playing phone tag with their agent. Communication is one of the biggest determinants for whether you get a one- or five-star review, so make sure your follow up is equal to your follow through. Be the agent who responds to messages promptly. Check in with your clients at minimum of once per week—more in the initial stages—to touch base and share updates. Even if you have little to share, that routine communication can help clients feel they’re a priority.
Creating that sense of priority is important at each stage of your sales funnel. For example, the initial inquiry is your first opportunity for customer experience. You may invest in lead generation technology, but how quickly are you engaging with those online leads? If it’s within the first hour, you’re sixty times more likely to qualify a lead compared to those who respond in 24 hours or longer. When you let things slip between the cracks, then so too can the potentiality for future business.
You get it, accessibility is important, but how can you be readily available to leads, prospects, and clients at any given moment? Here’s where a good website can reduce friction and keep you focused on matters that deserve a human touch. First, make sure your website uses responsive design to create a consistent experience across a variety of devices. A live chatbot can help answer FAQs so your leads don’t get cold before you have a chance to review them. You can also publish helpful articles with tips and advice, so your clients can access your expertise on their time. You can seem accessible without being available around the clock, so long as you have solutions on standby.
Lastly, measuring customer experience should go beyond whether everyone feels warm fuzzies by the end of the transaction. Surveys are an excellent way to collect feedback and spot areas that need improvement. A well-designed survey, with a proper incentive to encourage participation, provides you with empirical data on customer experience, and “that which is measured, improves,” says famous statistician, Karl Pearson.
Creating exceptional customer experience doesn’t have to mean rolling out the red carpet and dazzling clients with bells and whistles. It can be a simple as creating a seamless process so your clients can get back to living their lives, knowing that you’re in their corner. When you create a frictionless experience, people talk.
